


The (almost) perfect plane

by Kbeckett047



Series: Família Dalí [3]
Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Conversations, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29378562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kbeckett047/pseuds/Kbeckett047
Summary: After a month living in Palawan, Raquel decides it's time to talk to Sérgio about some important things from the past.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Series: Família Dalí [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2129250
Kudos: 8





	The (almost) perfect plane

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [O plano (quase) perfeito](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29341809) by [Kbeckett047](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kbeckett047/pseuds/Kbeckett047). 



> I'm back with another story about this wonderful universe. I was always imagining that during the first assault things were very painful for both characters, and that they would need to talk about it.
> 
> English is definitely not my language, so I apologize for the mistakes. This story was also published in Portuguese, for those who prefer. If anyone wants to beta this story, please leave your contact in the comments.

"I want to know everything." Raquel said one night. "About the assault, I want to know the truth" The two were lying in a hammock, watching the stars, listening to the sound of the waves, and a light breeze completed the perfect moment. Sergio wore only light fabric pants, leaving a lot of skin for Raquel to explore. And she was really interested in the task, but when she ran her hand over Sergio's strong chest, she remembered the marks he had had for a long time, due to the fight with Alberto.

"Which truth?" He asked as he shifted his position, looking straight into her eyes, still stroking her hair that shone like gold in candlelight.

"Everything you planned, what you can't tell me, your plan ... About me." Raquel clarified, trying to demonstrate with her eyes that she was not upset.

"I already told you the whole truth, remember, you used a lie detector" He laughed at the memory, a little nervous at her sudden interest in the subject

“Yes, but I would like to hear it again. I believe you now, I don't need a lie detector. ” Sérgio continued to look at her, still unsure if he should express his entire plan out loud and how he planned to involve Raquel in the assault. During the years of his life when he spent making these plans everything seemed perfectly acceptable, but now seeing her in front of him, he didn't feel comfortable or even thinking about it, much less telling her. And if he was completely honest with himself, the instant he laid eyes on her, in that cafe, Sergio began to doubt his own plans.

“I don't know if it's a good idea to talk about it, mi amor. When I planned these things I was a person who suppressed any kind of emotion. But when I met you I started to doubt my own ideals, I broke my own rules, I am not proud of who I was, and I certainly am not proud of the way I planned and used you. ”

Sergio hoped this would be enough to keep Raquel away from entering the Professor's world. During the assault she had met the Professor and had met Salva, with whom she had certainly fallen in love. Now he would like to be just Sergio, and he preferred to keep the Professor away, in order not to spoil this life that was just beginning.

"But I'm still curious about how you planned all of this." Raquel paused for a moment, assessing her reaction, and then sighed when she seemed to understand his reluctance. “I am not afraid of you or what you are going to tell me, in fact I really admire your intelligence, it is clear that some moments during the assault were not the best, and I agree that you did some bad things for me. But I want to understand this, I want to understand your way of thinking and what led you to do this. If we are going to live together, I would like to meet you, everything about you. ”

Sérgio considered the request. It was dangerous, but it was only fair that she knew. "I'm afraid to talk about it and make you change your mind about being here." Sérgio finally confessed.

“Do you remember when I got here? Do you remember everything we went through this month together? ” Raquel took his hands, trying to make him realize that she was not there to judge, but to understand his mind. Her job in the police and her career in psychology had been about understanding people, and there was no one she wanted to understand more than the criminal she had fallen in love with.

_\-----_

_"If it's important ... You can use mine." Sergio smiled when Raquel finally recognized him. She was there, after a year, after so many sleepless nights, dreaming of that reunion, she was finally there._

_Sergio felt his face go red when she approached, even more beautiful than he remembered. Rachel looked so happy, and he wanted to be the cause of that smile. The week they spent together in Madrid had been so turbulent and special that Sergio just prayed that Raquel would choose to join him._

_And he could have thought of a thousand things to say at that moment, but he was completely taken out of his thoughts by Raquel's hands that pulled him into a hug. A hug that finally made him feel at home. Of course, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, and even take her home and worship her whole body and soul, like the true goddess she was. But at that moment the embrace they shared showed that the connection between them still existed as if it had not been a day._

_He returned the hug, wrapping his arms around his waist, approaching their bodies and burying his face in the curve of her neck. And then everything was as he remembered it, the smooth skin that prickled at his touch, its scent that could only be described as Rachel, and the sighs of contentment she let out._

_Sérgio wanted to say so many things, but mainly to thank her for being here and for showing her what love was, and also to apologize eternally for everything she caused in her life._

_Raquel didn't seem concerned about any of this, however. She just smiled and kept looking into his eyes. Then he noticed the bowls beside him. "Two glasses of wine, did you know I was coming?" She laughed, shaking her head. Raquel was the most intelligent woman Sérgio knew. His attention to detail and the way his mind worked was fascinating, and Sergio wanted to spend the rest of his life unraveling every mystery of it._

_She was no longer an inspector, she had left the police after all the humiliation she suffered from her colleagues, accused of helping the Professor and his gang. Not that her colleagues were wrong, she had helped him escape, but not because she was screwing him, but because she came to believe his ideas. The concept of right and wrong that she had learned throughout her life no longer served._

_Recalling that, the exact moment when Raquel decided to help him escape, Sergio couldn't help but smile when he realized that he was smart, but he and Raquel together would be unbeatable. God help him, he needed this woman in his life._

_"Yeah, I did know." He confessed, offering her a glass. “I don't know if it was appropriate or not, and I apologize if you don't agree with that, but I have been monitoring you throughout your trip. When I was informed by my contacts in Spain that you were coming, I couldn’t risk anything happening to you. ” Sergio was waiting for the angry reaction, but Raquel just nodded._

_"Thank you, I don't have much experience using passports and fake IDs, just arresting whoever uses them, and although the police aren't looking for me yet, Alberto won't be long in accusing me of kidnapping Paula." She shrugged, probably thinking that bringing her mother and daughter on this trip was too risky._

_“I didn't know what I would find when I got here, and the possibilities were endless, but my biggest fear was not being able to go back to Spain and pick them up. They think we're on vacation. ” Sergio nodded his head. She was right, it was probably better to have brought both and make sure they were okay. He could take care of everything else, the plan was already beginning to form in his mind. New identities, a school for Paula, a good nurse for Marivi._

_"How are Paula and Marivi doing?" He asked, stopping his own thoughts._

_“They are fine, still tired from the trip, we arrived this morning, but my mother was not having a good day. After a rest she seemed to be better, so I was able to leave them both at the hotel. But I have to be back in a few hours. ” His eyes looked sad, and Sergio saw that._

_"Okay, I understand perfectly." He smiled, taking her hand. “God, Raquel, I'm so happy that you're here. Tell me what you need, anything, and I'll get it for you. Is your hotel good? If Paula doesn't like it, we can find another one and ... ” He was interrupted by Raquel's lips._

_Sergio was not good with words, much less with relationships. His shyness and his insecurities always spoke louder, especially around the woman he loved, with whom he would like to spend the rest of his life. And when he was nervous, he started talking a lot, probably as he was doing now. In any other situation he would be embarrassed, but if he received a kiss from Raquel that was what he got for it, he didn't really care._

_A kiss. His lips were so deliciously perfect that Sergio was unable to pull away. On the contrary, he found himself deepening the kiss, running his tongue over her lips, demanding entry into her mouth. He couldn't say whether seconds or hours passed, but when Raquel pulled away and smiled, resting her face on his chest, Sergio realized that he wanted that for the rest of his life._

_Fortunately for him, Raquel was much better at relationships, and she knew exactly what to say, or how to handle things. He would need to improve that aspect if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with a woman like her._

_"This is what I needed." She sighed, flushed cheeks and slightly messy hair._

_"Would you like to walk on the beach?" He found himself asking. It was late afternoon, and soon they would have a beautiful sunset. The least Sergio could do was offer the best view of Palawan._

_"I would love to." She smiled, finishing the wine glass. They clasped their hands and walked towards the beach, exchanging smiles, caresses and occasionally a few kisses._

_\-----_

"Yes I remember." Sérgio replied, leaving his thoughts and looking at the woman in front of him. Of course, he remembered the day she finally arrived, bringing her family and a suitcase full of doubts about what she would find. But still, she had come.

Sergio would give her everything, anything she asked for, especially the truth. "Did you feel that too?" Raquel asked, looking deep into her eyes. "That connection, as if the world is back to normal again, after so long?"

"Yes, I think it can be described that way" He pushed the glasses with his fingertips, a gesture that Raquel already knew perfectly well.

“Look, Sérgio, I can't say that I forgave everything you did, I think it will take some time for me to get used to the idea of being on the other side now, not being the police anymore, helping a group of criminals and everything else. But I chose to be here, I believed a year ago and now I believe in you even more, in your love and I can see your reasons behind this theft. ”

Sérgio nodded, still a little nervous about the idea, but letting it continue to explain itself.

“But I would like to understand you. I feel like there are two people inside you. Sérgio and the Professor. I want to understand how these two connect. I'm here for Sérgio, but I know that I will have to deal with the Professor, because he is part of you, and I want to learn. I want to understand your mind and what happened during the days when you said you fell in love. I find you fascinating, the first person I can't read and decipher on my own. ”

Sérgio still remained silent for a minute, considering his words. God, how could he deny this woman anything when she spoke like that with such an open heart, willing to do so many things for him. Finally, looking into his eyes, there was no doubt. He remembered his brother's words: "Don't miss the chance to give yourself over to love, hermanito."

“Okay, I want to start by saying that when I planned all of this, it wasn't personal. When I studied about you in Toledo it wasn't personal either. You were just a picture in my painting and I didn't want to hurt you exactly, I just needed some advantages against the police, regardless of who was in charge of the operation. ” He said at last, making the decision and earning a sympathetic smile from Raquel. She shook her hands trying to convey confidence, and then asked her first question.

"But did you know it would be me?"

“Of course, I knew. Raquel, you were the only person qualified to lead the negotiations, you are the best at your job, I was sure you would be called immediately. ” Sergio had studied many different people within the police who could take over the negotiations, but he knew that the Commissioner would send Raquel, she was the only one capable of doing this peacefully.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment, I think."

"Definitely. I knew you were smart, but you still surprised me many times. I was definitely not prepared for a woman of her magnitude. Of course, I had realized its beauty, who in their right mind would not have noticed it? ” He laughed at himself, remembering when he saw the photo for the first time and shrugged, not really caring about the physical appearance perfectly captured by the photo in his briefcase. “I can't even imagine how I was able to look at you and not be hypnotized. That was never the point for me, and I ended up focusing more on your negotiation skills than on your eyes. I never imagined what was coming. ”

Sergio sighed, earning a roll of Raquel's eyes. She had already said a few times that Sérgio no longer needed to be so charming because he had already conquered her, but Sérgio insisted that it was the truth.

"When did you realize you were in love with me?" She asked smiling maliciously, imagining poor Sergio realizing that he was in love with the person who was trying to arrest him, during his life's work. It must have been a difficult time for him, probably more difficult than it had been for her, he thought.

“Wait, there's still a lot until we get to that point. You need to follow my line of reasoning. ” He held up a finger signaling silence and Raquel can swear that that was the Professor speaking, scolding one of his students for interrupting him while explaining a very important matter. “As I said before, I didn't really want to ruin your life, but I studied about you, what your weaknesses would be and what I could use to destabilize you during our conversations. Just like I studied many other people who ended up getting involved in this robbery. I would have done the same with anyone, it wasn't personal. ”

"Would you have slept with anyone who was in charge of the negotiations?" She raised an eyebrow, it was always fun to tease Sergio and make his cheeks turn terribly red.

"What? No of course not." He said quickly, pushing the glasses with his fingertips. "I was talking about destabilizing the negotiator." When Raquel laughed at him, Sérgio shook his head, knowing he had fallen for his tricks once again. The woman knew how to tease him much better than he had done to her during the assault. He could only imagine what Raquel's mind would be like without an assault to solve, and he was eager to find out.

“You sure did a good job. God, I wanted so badly to shut up your damn mouth and those stupid questions. ”

"I was awful, wasn't I?" Sergio let out a laugh.

"I still don't know how you manage to be that arrogant and presumptuous Professor, and at the same time be that shy man that I see now." Raquel poked his chest, but left a kiss on his shoulder. Sérgio had quickly discovered that Raquel was a person who liked touch, and was always leaving small kisses or hugging him. It was better than slaps and bites, he supposed.

"How much did you hate me back then?" He asked the question that consumed him for days and nights. How far had he gone, how many limits had he crossed? Raquel would certainly hate him for those provocations.

“Honestly, I thought those little games of yours were disgusting. Asking about my clothes, my orgasms and still trying to be a gentleman? His boldness was unbelievable. If I were in a room, with a single bullet and you and Alberto were in front of me, I would be in doubt who to shoot. ” Raquel explained, without worrying about hiding her true feelings about the Professor who was hiding behind a metallic voice on the phone.

“This looks bad. God, I was really an idiot. I'm sorry, Raquel. ” He ran a hand through his hair, looking almost desperately at her, still wondering what had made Raquel change her mind and help the gang of robbers escape.

Raquel interrupted him, reassuring him and saying that these were his feelings when he did not know him. Today she thought differently about the subject, knowing that all the games he played were only used to mask his own nervousness. "How do you feel about that today? '

“Ah, I'm glad you asked. Because I would like to make it clear that although I have forgiven many things, I have not yet forgiven these provocations on the phone. And I will make you pay for each one. In the same currency. ” She declared, making Sergio swallow hard with his eyes wide. God, she would be his death.

"But that will be negotiated another day, Professor." Raquel emphasized the last word, smirking, making clear what Sergio feared. She would be in charge, because if there was any match for the Professor, it was the Inspector in front of her. "Now, continue your story." After a few seconds, Sergio seemed to regain control of his own breathing.

“I always planned to get close to you, get information about the progress of the investigation, be that annoying and nosy guy in a café that popped up occasionally. I was prepared for everything, even the possibility that you might suspect me and decide to follow me, as you did once. The idea was to look very suspicious at first and then be quickly dismissed as a suspect. Making you think I was a journalist was already planned. ” Sérgio looked away, remembering how he had told her that it had been one of the most exciting moments of his life. Indeed it had been, just as many others have come to become.

“You spent the whole damn time teasing me, Sérgio. Frankly, I should have been more difficult on you. ” Raquel rolled her eyes at him, giving him a light slap on the shoulder.

“You were very difficult, Raquel. I don't even know how I didn't collapse mentally every time I was with you. ” He protested.

“But you planned everything, didn't you? You had a backup location to take me to if I suspected you. ” She crossed her arms, trying to prove her point.

“Yes, you see, I was prepared for anything and any kind of reaction you could have. But I was not prepared for my own reaction when I first saw you. I was probably not preparing because I didn't even know I could feel these things. ” He stopped for a moment, stroking her face. “I was not prepared for your sweet and sincere smile, your strong and determined look, your intelligence. I think your intelligence was what attracted me the most, and on the first day I didn't even know what I was feeling, I thought it was just nervousness, but suddenly just talking to you on the phone was not enough. I was aware that I shouldn't come so close to you, but I did it anyway, regardless of the danger. ”

"And then we started to really talk." She added, remembering how easy it had been to open up to that sweet, kind and caring man.

"And then we started to really talk." Sérgio repeated, laughing at himself. "See, I could never regret getting close to you and everything we live, everything I felt and learned, but we're talking from the perspective of the plan, right? ' He asked and Raquel agreed, interested in what he would say next.

“Okay, so from the perspective of the plan, that's when things started to go wrong. I liked to talk to you, not to seek information about the robbery or the police's next move, but because I simply wanted to talk to you. When I said that about being your bodyguard with glasses, I really meant that. I wanted to protect you from anything, to support you and to show you that your ex-husband was an idiot and that you deserved nothing less than to be treated like a goddess. ”

"And from the perspective of the plan, that was totally inappropriate, because you were the leader of the biggest assault on Spain and I was the police officer who was trying to arrest you?" Rachel completed, understanding her line of thought.

“Exactly, I couldn't feel those things, I couldn't promise those things and I knew it, but I still chose to get closer and closer. I didn't know how to act, how to feel and it was making me more and more anxious, but at the same time I felt so comfortable with you. In that totally clumsy and antisocial way that I have always been, but still comfortable with you. ” The image of his desk full of origami flooded Sérgio's mind, and he knew that most origami was because of the woman in front of him, not because of the assault.

The entire assault had been planned and structured perfectly and with great care. There were always plans A, B and C in case something went wrong. Except for that little variable that was Raquel Murillo. How to predict that you would find the love of your life in the middle of the most important work of your life. And that you would be enemies?

“When I spoke to you on the phone, when I was the teacher and I needed to focus on keeping my team and the hostages safe, everything as planned, at first I was still able to distance myself a little from those thoughts, but that was getting increasingly difficult. I was delighted, mesmerized by you, you defied my intelligence and I loved it, but at the same time it hurt me a lot to do some things. ”

"Tell me a highlight of your plan." She asked suddenly.

"What do you mean a high point?"

“Something I did, something that helped you or that went perfectly as you planned. We negotiated a lot during the robbery, the police made a lot of moves. ” Raquel shook her head, her mind filled with memories of the tiring days of negotiation.

“This is not for you to blame, is it? Because nobody would have done a better job than you. ” Sergio could tell her the truth, but he would no longer contribute elements for her to blame.

“No, I don't want to be blaming myself, I want to understand. You managed to carry out the biggest robbery in history, and even though you liked me, some of my mistakes must have made you happy ... ”Raquel stopped talking when she saw his look, indicating that he was not happy at all. "From the perspective of the plan, Sérgio, remember?" Completed.

“Okay, so… I can think of two of them. First when you gave the authorization order to shoot a hostage. This was decisive to win the public's opinion, something we desperately needed. And the second highlight that I can think of was when Angel entered the bank in disguise, that allowed us to listen to him, it was a very important move. ”

Raquel nodded. She still blamed herself for what had happened to Angel, and especially for doubting him. The two had talked after the assault, when Angel recovered. But there was still hurt. Raquel didn't know if it was because she doubted him, or because she fell in love with a man other than him. Angel still loved her and she knew it. But regardless of having fallen in love with Sergio, things between her and Angel would never work out.

“But some highlights of the plan were really difficult for me. Among them release the audios about Alison Parker. ” Sérgio said carefully, knowing that this was a delicate point, since Raquel had been really hurt.

"Yeah, that was not one of your best moments." She agreed, letting the sadness show in her eyes for the first time.

"I know, Prieto is the one who should have taken the blame for that audio, not you."

Raquel shook her head, sighing loudly. “Prieto is an idiot, but he got what he deserved. He blamed everyone in front of the cameras, but outside of them he couldn't deal with it in his own decisions. I just hope he has learned something. ”

"Yes, I hope too, the world needs better people, and I'm not sure Prieto is one of them." Sérgio couldn't help but remember when Raquel said those same words to the Professor on the phone. She thought the world needed enthusiastic people like him.

"I think we all do desperate things in desperate times."

"I certainly did, and it cost me a lot." Sérgio admitted. “When you found the car in the junkyard. It was supposed to be destroyed, but Helsinki did not follow the plan. I had to improvise and try to destroy that car while I was on the phone arranging to have dinner with the most beautiful woman in Spain. Can you imagine that? ”

Raquel narrowed her eyes at him, and Sergio made a false expression of pain when he received another light slap on the shoulder.

“Oh no, without charm on me, Sérgio. I was so angry that day, but so angry. And then I called you to find out what the hell was going on inside that bank, with gunshots, and you hung up on me saying I wasn't calm enough. ”

“Well, at least now I know what I'm not supposed to do, Inspector. See, I learned a lot about you during our negotiations, and that will definitely help me not to make mistakes here. Now that we are together and happy in Palawan, I would not like to make stupid mistakes. ” He teased, casting his most innocent look, but of course Raquel was not taken in by the provocation.

"You'd better never test my patience like that again, Sergio, because now you won't have a phone to hide ..." Their faces came closer and Raquel emphasized the next words with her lips almost glued to his, hands traveling each lower until it reaches the middle of your legs. "And I am a very good negotiator."

"Yes. Yes, you are the best, Raquel. ” He swallowed, unable to formulate more words when she was so close, so hot, and his hand so dangerously close to where he suddenly wanted her.

"Now continue your story." She jerked away, smiling. Sergio needed a second to compose himself, take a deep breath and remember what he was talking about before.

“The closer we got, the more I started to realize that I felt something for you. Something I had never felt before. I never fell in love, Raquel, and I didn't know what that was. But the first night we spent together was so special, so magical. I forgot, Raquel. I forgot about the assault, I forgot that I was the Professor and you were the Inspector. For a moment I could be just myself. And if you ever doubted what I felt or thought I lied to you all along, that night I was being completely true to you, I was just Sergio. ”

Sérgio had already slept with other women. Two, to be honest. Nothing involving feelings, and of course he had been a gentleman on occasion, but he knew there was no feeling. The first time had been his brother's setup and it was obviously horrible, making Sergio go years without getting close to another woman.

The second woman he had had a relationship with, an American, had shown an interest in him and insisted on taking things to the bedroom. Sérgio still didn't know exactly how he ended up in that situation, but after two dates the girl, luckily, had given up. After that, there was Raquel. And she would be the only one, because Sergio wouldn't be able to feel that desire with anyone else, that was a fact.

“I know this now, after meeting you, I can see how real everything was. You have a lot of Salva in you. ”

“It was all so wonderful, I was sure I never felt so connected to anyone. Especially with a woman. And I didn't want you to leave, because that moment was going to end and I would have to be the teacher again. And when that happened, it was like a reality check, it was an unprecedented tragedy. For a second I regretted what happened between us. Not because I didn't like it, God I loved every second with you, but because I knew I was falling into a hole I couldn't get out of, I was getting involved in something that had no future. And I was dragging you with me. ”

“I can imagine what it must have been like. I felt it when I found out that you were the teacher. I saw all of our perfect future slipping through my fingers. And I was trying to convince myself that everything had been part of his plan, but I couldn't. ” Raquel perfectly remembered being so torn between believing in her feelings and the evidence that the man was just using her.

“That was the night of Angel's accident and the hostages' escape. That night we lost a companion. Oslo was hit and never recovered. The team's confidence was waning and things got really tough. And in one of the worst moments inside the bank, I was not there to help my team. And as much as I don't like Angel and the way he insists on chasing you, I was not happy with his accident. Of course, that saved the plan, since he can't tell the police where my hiding place was, but I swear to you, Rachel, I didn't cause his accident. ”

She nodded, resting one hand on her face. “I know, I knew it all along, I just had a hard time believing it. It was easier to blame you than to accept my own guilt. ”

“It wasn't your fault what happened to him, Raquel. I know it's hard to believe, I thought about it a lot. How can we both be perfect together, when many tragedies happened precisely because we were together instead of fighting each other? I wondered that all the time. But I wanted. I wanted to be with you regardless of the biggest heist in history. Regardless of whether all my life's work is going on right now. ”

Sérgio confessed, and those words came out as a confession because it was the first time he said that to anyone. Sometimes he still thought he had betrayed his team, putting his wishes ahead of the plan. But then his brother made him realize that he was not the only one. Everyone had made their mistakes inside the bank or even before entering the bank. And everyone was aware of the risks. No one would blame him for loving but himself.

“When I divorced Alberto, I promised myself that I would no longer be in a relationship. And what did I do? God, I got involved in the most difficult relationship in history. ” She laughed, thinking that neither Romeo nor Juliet could compare to their story.

"Andrés told me that he is not surprised at all, he said that I was always attracted by challenges and by the human intellect, never by emotions, so I could only fall in love if I were with the most intelligent woman in the world." He couldn't help but kiss the lips that were giving him such a bright smile.

Raquel rolled her eyes. "I know I'm smart, and very good at my job, but maybe you're overreacting, I'm not the smartest person in the world."

Sérgio laughed at that, and he can't help but kiss her on the cheek again. “You are perfect, Raquel, never doubt that. But let's continue the story. The next day." Sergio shuddered just thinking about that day. He knew he would have to be careful with his next words. I got a call from your mom that day ”.

"Did Mama call you?" Raquel was confused, that was new information.

"Yes." Sergio hesitated. “Angel had left so many messages on his cell phone that he was unable to send the most important one, saying that the fingerprint found was mine. He left a message on his home phone. ” Sérgio took a deep breath before continuing. "When your mom heard the message and was unable to speak to you, she called me, thinking we could be together, she asked me to pass the message on to you."

“You were at my house that day. What did you do there? ” Raquel seemed to wake up from a dream, and Sergio just hoped that she wouldn't discover the little detail for which he had actually come to his home.

“I wasn't thinking straight, I don't know what I would find. Honestly, I was so scared, but your mom was so adorable. When I saw the post-it notes scattered throughout the house, I realized that she might have a memory problem. It was not difficult to find the note with the message that Angel left and delete the message from his phone. ”

At that moment Sergio told himself that he had not lied. That fateful day he was terrified, not thinking straight and not knowing what he would find at Raquel's house. But strategically he left out the fact that he had planned to kill Marivi. I had almost done it, actually. Sérgio had to gather all his strength to avoid showing nervousness. He would regret the rest of his life for that day and for his stupid and selfish decision, but he couldn't tell Raquel the whole truth about that part. He couldn't tell her that he had come to his home to kill his mother.

Marivi was a wonderful, witty woman and had supported their relationship from the beginning, even before she had even met him. Even after discovering her true identity, when she was already in Palawan, all she had said was that love had interesting ways to present herself, and that if Sergio made his daughter and granddaughter smile, he promised to love them and not be an idiot like the other men in Raquel and Paula's life, so she wouldn't mind a few million euros that weren't her problem.

No, he couldn't tell Raquel that day he planned to kill his mother, even if he hadn't done it, even if Marivi didn't remember. He couldn't tell Raquel because he couldn't handle it himself, and saying it out loud would be like condemning himself. Rachel had forgiven many things, and even though she forgave him for it too, he couldn't. Sérgio decided that he would keep this little secret to himself, as a reminder of someone he would never be again. As a reminder of something he rejected and fought against. That would be his self-inflicted penance, his own condemnation.

“So you weren't at my place to see me. Did you go to see my mom and find out what she knew about you? ” Raquel asked, frowning.

“Yeah, I'm sorry, Raquel. I wish things had been different and we were not in that situation. The night we spent together was incredible, and then the next day there I was having to manage this assault. ” He apologized as honestly as he could, without revealing the real reason he was apologizing. "But that day I met your mother, and then I understood where all your intelligence and ability to read people comes from."

Sérgio allowed himself to laugh, remembering the conversations he had with Marivi that day. “In less than five minutes she found out that you had spent the night with me and made me admit that we had made love. I can't even describe the amount of shame I felt, thinking it would scold me or something. But she just smiled and said she was happy. ”

"I knew it. God, I knew she had done this. Mama is not at all discreet. ” Raquel laughed, her cheeks slightly flushed when she imagined her mother questioning her boyfriend about sex.

"But let's move on." Sérgio said, anxious to end the matter about his worst moment during the robbery “The house of Toledo.”

“God, I thought I had finally achieved something. But you planned everything, didn't you? ” She squinted, remembering how perfectly clean the house was.

“Yes, I always planned for the police to find the house. But of course Raquel Murillo would thwart my plans. ”He rolled his eyes. “I planned to win at least three days, a house full of evidence, the police thinking I had the advantage, I thought you would be over there. But you didn't stay there for an afternoon and you realized it was a trap. ”

“You are a good actor, I have to admit that. The whole time you were by my side and I didn't notice anything. ” Sérgio laughed at the realization of it. "During that dinner when I realized that there must be a home, because of the things you were talking to my mom about the robbery." She shifted her position, getting a little closer to him, joining their bodies.

“I have to admit, despite the frustration of not saving the time I wanted, I was proud of you and your quickness in realizing everything. A little nervous when Alberto managed to retrieve that little piece of paper from the fireplace, but still proud of your ability, you are very good at what Raquel does. ”

"Alberto did not achieve anything with that piece of paper." Raquel said, looking at him. "Was that you, too?"

“It was a picture of my father, I had burned the last day before the assault. I didn't think it could be recovered. So when you found it I had to get rid of it. When I got a ride with Alberto, I traded the photo for a piece of newspaper. ” Sergio explained calmly.

"What about Alberto, did he really hit you?" Raquel still had doubts about that episode, even though Alberto had said several times that he hadn't touched a finger.

"He never got the chance." Sérgio let out a laugh, remembering the man convinced he was Alberto, and how he couldn't even come close to being a threat.

"He told me you were a damn Chuck Norris with glasses." Raquel laughed, it was wrong but her whole story with that man was stronger, and she was secretly happy to know that someone had taught him a lesson.

“Well, this time he was right. I'm not a violent man, you can ask Andrés, and I didn't even hit Alberto, but I swear to you that I wanted to punch him pretty, just thinking about what he did to you. ”

"He certainly deserved it, I should have done it myself." Sergio looked at her, looking for signs of anger, but found only understanding. Her story with Alberto was complicated and Sergio knew that she would not have done anything for fear of losing Paula's guard. “Yeah, he deserved it. But luckily it wasn’t necessary. ” Sérgio completed.

"What do you do with him, anyway?"

Taking a deep breath, he let the memories flood his mind and continued. “Do you remember when we were at the house in Toledo and I dominated you, pressed your neck and you passed out? This is a really effective technique, it does no harm but it does make the person go black if you press the right points. I did it, much less gently than with you. The only danger really is that the person falls to the ground when he passes out. I held you in my arms very carefully and stood by you at all times to make sure you were okay. But with Alberto I allowed myself to drop him on the floor. I needed to steal the evidence he found, it was a picture of my father that I had burned the day before the robbery. ”

Sergio paused, looking for his eyes, but Raquel just nodded for him to continue.

“It was easy, actually. All I had to do was tease him a little, and for that it was enough to say the magic word: Raquel Murillo. He got so angry, stopped the car and made me go out, ready to fight. Obviously he didn't have a chance, but when he woke up he decided he would arrest me. This was not exactly in my plans, and to make matters worse I found out that Tokyo had been caught by the police. ”

“Berlin delivered it. I think they had a fight. ” Raquel had never really understood what had happened inside that bank among the robbers themselves, and this she intended to ask her youngest (beloved) brother-in-law one day. The relationship between her and Andrés was gradually improving, he didn't give any serious signs of being a threat, just a few jokes and provocations, nothing that Raquel couldn't deal with.

“Andrés is my brother and I love him very much, but sometimes I don't understand what's going on in his head. Anyway, this is already resolved, we both had a long discussion about the things he did during the assault. ” Sérgio hurried to explain, not wanting his brother's actions during the assault to damage the relationship that Raquel had been slowly building with Andrés. "At the police station I used some soaps to leave marks on my chest, I needed to make it look like he had hit me."

“Well, even though you forged evidence, I must say that that idiot deserved it. Thanks. Did you see his face? I don't think I've ever seen him like this in my life. ” Raquel finally admitted it out loud.

“You were great, too, at the police station. Facing them all for me. It was one of the moments when I wished I wasn't lying to you. ” Sérgio seemed proud, flattered by the memory of Raquel invading the police station where he was that day.

“I suppose it was better that way, your fingerprints were at stake and would soon be identified. I had discovered your name, Silene told me. His plan was at serious risk. ” Sérgio cannot help admiring the woman beside him. How perfect it could be, talking quietly to him about the assault and how it had been better that way. He assumed that if things had been different he would not be here now.

“The day I slept at your place was when I realized that I was completely in love with you. The plan was no longer in the first place, you were. ” Sérgio admitted, finally answering Raquel's initial question. “And I saw myself slowly dying. Can you imagine that? It was so confusing. The day that I finally felt alive was also the day that I was slowly dying, because that was never going to happen, and now that I knew what love was, what it was like to have a family, I also knew that I would never would have that for me. On the one hand, it comforted me that at least now I could say that I knew what real love was, and that would have to do for the rest of my life. ”

Sérgio watched Raquel's face tighten and her lips tighten, certainly a mirror if her own face when reliving the pain of the final moments of the assault.

“When you said that about ending my dad's dream and going on with my own life, I could imagine my dad beside me screaming for me to do exactly what you were saying. And all I could manage at that moment was my life. I had never done this before, planning my life. Do you know what I imagined that day? ” He asked Raquel with shining eyes, a slight smile on his face.

"Crossing the ocean with a mother, daughter and grandmother, living in Palawan facing the sea, seeing the stars and totally forgetting your old life?" She also asked smiling, describing the conversation they had the next day when Sergio woke up in his bed. Describing the life they were living at that time.

“I could only imagine you at my side. You, Mama Murillo and Paulita, of course. ” He can't help laughing. “That was when I made a decision. As long as you were willing, I would do anything to make this dream come true, give you the best life you could have, and in the process redeem myself for everything I had done. I still didn't know exactly how I was going to tell the truth, but I certainly didn't think you'd find out that way. ”

Sergio's eyes started to turn red as he imagined how things could have gone terribly wrong.

"Do you remember when you woke up and asked if I was worried about something?" Raquel nodded, remembering perfectly the conversation they had that morning, when they planned to run away. “I was thinking of telling you everything, everything. I was ready to give up on the plan and put my luck in your hands. But I did not succeed, I lacked courage. I even tried to tell the truth through Cider, my father's dream ... And that it had been the best night of my life. Everything I said was true, Raquel, everything. ”

"And yet you were terribly cruel to me on the phone when you asked those reporters, you used the Alison Parker audio leak to blackmail me into accepting the reporters." Raquel remembered how she was determined to end that assault and the Professor had called her with more games and teasing.

Sergio winced at the thought.

"Yes really. When I left your house that morning, I was finally able to focus on the plan and I was determined to get it over with. I needed to put some pressure on you to get what you wanted, and get it over with. It was a price that I had to pay. ”

Rachel sighed. It hurt a little to think that the man who had been so kind to her in the morning, could be so cold just hours later. She had thought about it during the year, wondering if it would always be like this, a battle between her two personalities. But Rachel had found no sign of coldness. Nothing but the purest kindness, concern and love.

"You risked everything by going to the hospital, why didn't you use me to find out if it was a trap or not?" Raquel asked something that had been on her mind for a long time.

“It was dangerous and I was 99% sure it was a trap. I still needed to know, and I needed to concentrate because Angel knew who I was, there was no room for mistakes and ... ”Sérgio spoke and moved his hand, making gestures in the air that should have some meaning in his mind.

"And you were deviating from the plan every time you were close to me." Raquel completed the sentence, knowing that feelings for her were interfering with her judgment at the end of the assault.

"Yes, luckily it was a police setup, because if Angel was really awake I think I would be forced to do things that I didn't want to do."

Raquel looked at him again, reflecting on his words. "Would you have the courage to kill him, if necessary?"

Sergio stopped, looked at her, was silent. He searched his memory for evidence of an answer, but the truth was, he didn't know. “I don't think so, I like to think that I would have found another way to resolve this. But we'll never know, will we? ”

The two were silent for a few minutes, thinking about that statement. Would Sergio have the courage? The Professor would certainly have, but in those days the Professor was increasingly connected with Sergio and his newfound feelings of love for Rachel and the beauty of life.

"It was a streak of orange hair on your perfectly fitted outfit when we were having coffee." Raquel said suddenly. “That made me discover your identity. In a second it all crossed my mind. It was a horrible feeling. We were talking about Palawan and then ... ”

The tightness in his chest hit him hard. That must have been a difficult time for Raquel. He liked to think that one day he would tell her the truth, little by little, apologizing thousands of times, explaining his every thought, every reason and showing her his view of the political, social and economic system. How that same system failed her as a woman, mother and police officer. He would show her the beauty of his plan through his eyes.

He didn't think she would find out that way.

“Well, the rest, I think you already know. You got me, and I was scared. Not because of the plan, but because I knew you were going to hate me. I mean, what were the chances after all this? ” Sérgio paused, and Raquel can swear he saw the purest sadness in his eyes. “I was ready to be arrested, tortured, tried or even killed. But I was not prepared for the look you gave me. I hated myself at that moment, I think it was when I realized the extent of the damage that I had caused, and then facing the system didn't seem worth it. ”

With her breath caught in her throat from the memories of her own thoughts, Raquel let him continue.

“I knew it was over, and I wasn't going to tell you anything about the robbery, no matter what you did to me. I couldn't tell anything until my team was safe. But I couldn't die without letting you know it was true. What I felt, the promises I made, everything was true. You could have hit me as many times as you wanted, I was willing to repeat that I had fallen in love with you until you believed. I wouldn't need a lie detector, just look in my eyes and ask for the truth that I would give you. ”

Sergio paused.

“When you passed out, I cried beside you, I asked for forgiveness for everything and I confessed that I would regret the pain I caused for the rest of my life. I told you that I still dreamed of our life together, and I promised that if I got out of this alive I would spend my days thinking about you .... You didn't hear any of that, but I'm repeating it now, Raquel. ”

Raquel's eyes were already red and damp from unshed tears. A well-known sensation of all the nights that she had cried in silence when she couldn't sleep, afraid to wake Paula. Thinking about how everything could have been different.

“What changed afterwards? When I woke up, you just left, how was I so sure I wasn't going to kill you? ” She asked, her voice a little broken, her throat tight.

"I had not. I didn't know if you were going to kill me right there, but I knew I had lost you. There was no more chance for that future than we imagined, and then I realized how fucked up I was, because I would never see you again, I would never be able to hug you or kiss you again. All I could do was get those people out of the bank, I wanted to get away as quickly as possible. I hid behind the Professor because the pain I was feeling would be less. ”

“I was so confused at the time, I didn't know who you were or what to believe anymore. And you were still stupidly kind to me. ” She laughed, letting a single tear run down her face. Sergio held out his hand in a gesture of tenderness, drying that single tear that had fallen, his own eyes also red.

“Well, after that, I think you already know the rest of the story. You found me, because of course Raquel Murillo would find me. I figured you couldn't surprise me anymore, and as much as I loved you, at that moment I needed to save my team and run. Of course, after the escape, the police would soon find the hangar, so you wouldn't be in prison for long. Everything was clear in my head, there was no room for mistakes ... ”

"And then Angel called." Raquel completed the sentence, remembering one of the most decisive moments of her life.

“And then Angel called and it all happened. You see, I never liked hope, I never trusted hope. No, I have always believed that we need planning and certainty, with no room for error or depending on the judgment of others. I always had a plan A, B and C. ” Sergio paused, taking both of Raquel's hands and kissing them. “But at that moment you gave me hope and I held on to it with my life. I don't know if it was your look, your words or your kiss. But I knew that if there was one person in the world that I could trust blindly, it was you. ”

Another pause to make sure she was understanding the weight of her words.

"Because I already loved you like I never loved anyone before, and I learned from you that love is about trust ..."

Raquel seemed satisfied with the explanation. She kissed him, hugged him, allowed their bodies to come together, allowed Sérgio to listen to his soft sobs, giving all his emotions to the man who had also taught him so much about love.

Sérgio knew that he could never undo his actions during the robbery, or even give Raquel his life back before. Although she had said numerous times that she did not regret joining him in Palawan, Sérgio still had his insecurities and wondered how a woman as strong and brave as Raquel had fallen in love with him. Even not knowing this answer, he would spend the rest of his life making Raquel's decision worthwhile, deserving his love.

"I don't want to be that person anymore." Sérgio confessed. “For a long time I was the Teacher because it was easier to deal with the pain, the injustice and the years of life that I lost. But I don't want to do that anymore. You were right when you said that I need to live my own dream. ”

Raquel didn't interrupt him, but smiled in support, running her fingertips across Sergio's face. “Will you help me with this, Raquel? Are you going to teach me how to live? ” His eyes were filled with doubt, fear and love.

"I'm with you, honey." She replied, sealing the promise with a strong kiss.

That night, with Raquel asleep in his arms, clarified secrets and thousands of excuses, Sérgio decided it was time to bury the Professor. He was ready to love, to have a family and allow himself to live.

He was ready to be Sérgio Marquina.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think of the story.
> 
> Should I continue posting in English or only in Portuguese?


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